Message-ID: <003c01c8cc0d$4d88a0e0$4001a8c0@HP50151119617> From: "Susan McLeod" <s.mcleod@cvmuseum.com> Subject: Re: Collections Policies Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:51:28 -0500
Hi, Don,
There is a lot of thinking that has gone into the models for museum
collection and ethics policies. I'm certainly not an authority on all
the possibilities but here are some of the ideas I have paid special
attention to.
The American Association of Museums and American Association of State
and Local History both have model policies that address the touchy issue
of deaccessioning. (I believe both could direct you to model collections
and ethics policies through their websites.) Appropriate deaccessioning
has been the subject of serious debate in the museum field. Transfer to
another museum is appropriate. Public sale is appropriate, although, if
the sale is local, it raises the tricky issues of donor perception that
were in yesterday's discussion. (I believe the situation you have
described falls here.)
The reasons for deaccession are also important. A collections policy
should outline the approved reasons to deaccession an item. Some typical
ones are excessive duplication of a type of material in the collection,
further research has found that an object is outside the scope of the
collection, condition has deteriorated beyond hope of preservation.
Deaccessioning one of your Monets to pay the light bill is not an
appropriate reason.
What you do with the proceeds of deaccession sales is important. Some of
the ethics statements say such proceeds can only be used for
acquisitions. That doesn't make sense for certain collections, so some
statements are broader and allow care of collections as well as
acquisitions.
Lots to think about!
Susan McLeod
Director
Chippewa Valley Museum
----- Original Message -----
From: Don Jensen
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: Collections Policies
Having initiated the discussion regarding how and where an institution
should dispose of deaccessioned items, I would, of course, agree that a
museum ought to develop and follow written policy covering the entire
aspect of building and managing its collection. And the manual referred
to is a good start to developing such a written policy.
However, I was quite disappointed in reading through it to note that
there is very little in the way of specifics. We are told it is proper
and necessary to deaccession items from time to time. But what are
acceptable ways to do so? Other than the preferred, but not always
possible, route of transferring them to another, more appropriate
institution, we are offered no advice at all.
Happily, the manual said monetary appraisals are not considered
ethical. That is useful, professional guidance. But that's another
matter. The manual is entirely silent on the issue that some of us have
been discussing.
Yes, of course, there should be a policy to deaccession items. BUT
where is the discussion of HOW to do it. It should be obvious that it
is unethical to sell items from the collection to, say, an individual
collector. Yet, I know of instances where small institutions with no
professionally trained staff have done just that! Our discussion
pertained to the wisdom of auctioning deaccessioned items locally, which
is not a matter of ethics but of image and public relations. I have
noted that our professional staff has advised our board against that.
I am disappointed that other museum professionals who are part of this
list have not chimed in on whether they agree or disagree, on whether
they see it as good or bad museum practice to auction, raffle, sell or
trade deaccessioned items locally. Come on, folks, we
non-professionals look to you for sound advice!
Don Jensen
BoD, Kenosha History Center
----- Origainal Message -----
From: Seymour, Janet I - WHS
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:52 AM
Subject: Collections Policies
List Serve Members,
Many of you shared comments and ideas regarding the sale of
de-accessioned artifacts. I am sure the discussion was helpful to many.
We at WHS encourage local organizations to develop a collections
policy to help you manage your collection and to maintain consistent
methods for accessioning and deaccessioning artifacts. You can find a
helpful workbook at the link below. It covers how to develop a
collections policy for historical records, but the basic principles of
how the policy should work apply to three dimensional collections as
well.
You can contact me directly if you have further questions about
collections policies, or if you would like to receive a copy by mail.
Thanks,
Janet
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/whrab/wclh.pdf
Janet Seymour
Field Services Representative - Northern Region
Wisconsin Historical Society
c/o Department of History, UW-Eau Claire
105 Garfield Avenue
Eau Claire WI 54701
Voice: 715-836-2250
Web: www.wisconsinhistory.org
To subscribe to the local history list serve, send an email to:
localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu and type subscribe in the body
of the email.
Post messages, questions, or event notices by sending an email to
localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu.
Review past messages at: http://listserve.uwec.edu/localhistory.